View From History: 'Fortress Europe'

"Fortress Europe" was a propaganda slogan developed in late 1943 by Nazi Germany to try to assure Germans that any invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe couldn't succeed because of the impregnable defenses Germany had built. In this cartoon, "Fortress Europe" is depicted as a meager defense, as shown by the tattered Nazi flag. A cowardly Chancellor Adolf Hitler hides behind the "fortress" with a worried look on his face. Less than two months later, on D-Day, Europe would indeed be successfully invaded by allied forces.

"Fortress Europe" was a propaganda slogan developed in late 1943 by Nazi Germany to try to assure Germans that any invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe couldn't succeed because of the impregnable defenses Germany had built. In this cartoon, "Fortress Europe" is depicted as a meager defense, as shown by the tattered Nazi flag. A cowardly Chancellor Adolf Hitler hides behind the "fortress" with a worried look on his face. Less than two months later, on D-Day, Europe would indeed be successfully invaded by allied forces.

Bob Englehart

As part of our 250th celebration, I'll be posting selected historical cartoons from The Courant's files every Thursday. Today's is a cartoon by Reg Manning of the Arizona Republic. Henry McNulty, who is our informal historic authority on all things Courant, provides the explanation for the cartoons.

Today's explanation:

1944: "Fortress Europe" was a propaganda slogan developed in late 1943 by Nazi Germany to try to assure Germans that any invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe couldn't succeed because of the impregnable defenses Germany had built. In this cartoon, "Fortress Europe" is depicted as a meager defense, as shown by the tattered Nazi flag. A cowardly Chancellor Adolf Hitler hides behind the "fortress" with a worried look on his face. Less than two months later, on D-Day, Europe would indeed be successfully invaded by allied forces.